Last verified: October 2026
What qualifications must an Arizona assisted living manager have?
A manager must be at least 21 and, except in an adult foster care home, hold an assisted living facility manager certificate issued under A.R.S. 36-446.04 or a temporary certificate under 36-446.06, both from the Arizona Board of Examiners for Nursing Care Institution Administrators and Assisted Living Facility Managers.
The governing authority must designate the manager in writing and notify ADHS when the manager changes. If the manager will be away more than 30 days, an acting manager with the same qualifications must be named in writing.
Sources: A.A.C. R9-10-803.
What training must Arizona assisted living caregivers have?
A caregiver must be 18 or older and have completed a caregiver training program approved by ADHS or by the Board of Examiners, unless they qualify through a professional license such as a nurse's license; an assistant caregiver may be 16.
The rules also require current first aid and adult CPR documentation for managers and caregivers, tuberculosis screening for staff with regular resident contact, and a fingerprint clearance card under Arizona law for most staff.
Sources: A.A.C. R9-10-806.
Must someone who speaks English be on site?
Yes. The governing authority must make sure a manager or caregiver who can read, write, understand and communicate in English is on the premises.
Many Tucson homes have bilingual caregivers; if your parent's first language is Spanish, ask how many caregivers on each shift speak it, because the rule guarantees English on site, not Spanish.
Who is in charge when the manager is not there?
The manager must designate in writing a caregiver who is at least 21 and present on the premises to be accountable for the facility when the manager is away.
Ask who that person is on nights and weekends, how long they have worked there, and whether they can reach the manager by phone. In a ten-bed home it is often the only caregiver on shift.
How can families check a manager's or caregiver's credentials?
Ask the facility for the manager's certificate number and verify it with the Board of Examiners, and ask to see the caregiver training certificates that the rules require the facility to keep on file.
Staffing records are part of what ADHS reviews at inspections, so citations about training or fingerprint cards on AZ Care Check are a signal worth asking about.
Arizona staffing minimums: what the rules set and do not set
| Set by rule | Not set by rule | |
|---|---|---|
| Manager | age 21+, Board certificate | a nursing degree |
| Caregiver | age 18+, approved training | a fixed staff-to-resident ratio |
| On site | an English-speaking manager or caregiver | a Spanish-speaking caregiver |
